Monday, January 25 Mark 5:1-5 “A demon-possessed man meets Jesus” As Jesus gets out of the boat, he is met by a demon-possessed man. Wherever Jesus goes, his holy presence triggers a reaction from the unholy. These demons do not cower in fear but cause the man to rush at Jesus. Mark… Read more about Mark’s Gospel
Mark’s Gospel
Monday, January 18 Mark 4:1-9, 13-20 “The parable of the sower” Jesus’ credibility as a teacher is a vital aspect of Mark’s gospel. As the vehicle for his teaching, Jesus often chooses the parable. A parable is a comparison between a simple, earthly picture and an important, spiritual truth. Two principles of… Read more about Mark’s Gospel
Mark’s Gospel
Monday, January 11 Mark 2:1-12 “Your sins are forgiven” The healing of the paralyzed man shows that while still responding tenderly to people in need, Jesus has the ability to take the intellectual initiative. In the contest over Jesus’ authority to forgive sins, Mark gives us insights into the mind of Jesus. … Read more about Mark’s Gospel
Wise Men
Monday, December 28 Matthew 1:18-25 “Now this is how Jesus the Messiah was born” The story of Jesus’ birth is told in a beautiful and simple style, with matter-of-fact statements about the most mysterious aspects of the conception of Jesus. God became a human being by the agency of the Holy Spirit in… Read more about Wise Men
Birth and Prophecy
Monday, December 21 Luke 1:1-25 “Your wife Elizabeth will bear a son, and you are to name him John” There were twenty-four divisions of priests in Israel at the time, far more priests than needed in the Temple. Each division took a turn yearly to serve for two weeks. Only one priest… Read more about Birth and Prophecy
Fourth Week of Advent: Joy
Monday, December 14 Zephaniah 3:14-17 “The Lord will rejoice over you” What could be greater than God’s gladness? It indicates the longing of the Lord’s heart. God will celebrate when we live the life of hope he has provided. God rejoices when our lives of selfishness and pride are reversed and we begin living… Read more about Fourth Week of Advent: Joy
Third Week of Advent: Love
Monday, December 7 1 Corinthians 13:4-13 “Love is . . .” The Greek language has several different words for love, while in English we have just one. Eros was the word the Greeks used for love when it defined intense physical desire. But neither the verb nor noun form of eros is found in… Read more about Third Week of Advent: Love
Second Week of Advent: Peace
Monday, November 30 Romans 12:14-21 “As much as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone” Paul is both realistic and practical in his instructions to believers concerning conflict in human relations. Evil will persist and Christians will not be exempt from its painful encroachment. But while they are subject to the same… Read more about Second Week of Advent: Peace